AntiquesBoutiqueNS

REFUNDS

The Antiques Boutique wants you to be happy with your purchase, & I make every effort to ensure a great shopping experience. However, there may be times when, despite my best efforts, my customers have a complaint about one aspect or another of their order.

In this regard, my refund policy is clear: if it's my fault that you're not happy with your order, contact me within seven (7) days of receipt of your order, & I will happily refund you in full. (EXCEPTION: With some countries, I will NOT refund for lost mail - see my Shipping Policy for more information.) Specifically, "my fault" means:

1) I did not accurately describe the item(s) & consequently the item(s) you received did not meet your expectations (for example: if I said the item was red, and it was blue)

2) I made a mistake in mailing the order to you - that is, I did not ship the item to the address reflected in your Etsy account or, if you specified it in writing, to the address you asked me to deliver to.

If a complaint involves something that is NOT my fault, refunds will be considered on a case-to-case basis. Cases subject to discussion may include but are not limited to the following:

1) The item you received was as described in my listing, but you have decided that it does not suit you after all (for whatever reason - eg it is too small or too big for the space you intended for it, etc.)

2) The item was accurately described in my listing, but you misread or failed to read a part of the description (for example, the size of the item)

3) The item was delayed or damaged in transit due to an error or negligence on the part of the postal system. Example: Your mailman chooses to forcefully stuff your package into your mailbox or mailing slot, thereby damaging the contents.

In cases 1 and 2 above, a full refund will be given ONCE THE GOODS HAVE BEEN RETURNED TO ME IN GOOD CONDITION. The cost of returning the goods to me will be the responsibility of the buyer, including any customs charges.

In case 3 above, I cannot be held liable for the poor service of postal personnel, & a refund cannot be given.

With regard to postal delays: Generally, items shipping from Canada to the US can be delivered in approximately 10 business days. Then there are occasional inexplicable postal delays that are completely out of my control. For this reason, for US and Canadian orders, I will consider an item "lost in the mail" only after 30 business days from the date of shipment; for international shipments, an item is considered "lost in the mail" only after 60 business days. At that point, we can discuss the problem & hopefully come to a happy resolution. (Please see also our Shipping Policies for more details on the extent of my responsibilities with regard to shipping).

The Antiques Boutique accepts Paypal payments as well as credit card payments through Etsy Payments. Customers residing in Canada also have the option of contacting me to arrange for Interac electronic bank transfers. I can accept cash if collecting in person.

NOTICE: As a result of the ongoing COVID-19 emergency, certain packages may take longer than usual to arrive - please check my shipping policy. Thank you for your patience.

The Antiques Boutique will do everything in its power to get your orders to you safely and promptly. I ship via Canada Post. For US & international destinations, items that are valued under C$100 are shipped without tracking, if you need tracking, please ask before ordering.

Canadian orders are sent Expedited with tracking, unless they are small enough to fit in a bubble envelope. Again if you want tracking - please ask before ordering.

In some rare cases, delivery costs may be higher than quoted, depending on the state/province in the destination country. If the quoted price is insufficient to cover actual shipping cost to your address, I will inform you of the additional cost & await your decision on whether to proceed with the order.

WHEN WILL I GET MY ORDER?
In most cases, orders will be shipped within 1 business day after the date of receipt of the order.

If your order is time-sensitive, please say so when ordering, so that I can act appropriately on your order.

Delivery times within Canada are typically one week. For the US, 10 business days. For everywhere else, 2-3 weeks. Actual delivery times are affected by factors beyond my control, including postal inefficiency and strikes, natural calamities, security measures implemented by the government, Customs, etc. Please note that I am not responsible for delays caused by these external factors. Refunds are not issued for items that are delivered late due to these delays by third parties.

NOTE: There may be times when I am on vacation & therefore orders received during this time cannot be fulfilled within the usual period. I will always announce my vacations in advance in my SHOP ANNOUNCEMENT.

WHAT HAPPENS IF MY ORDER IS LOST IN THE MAIL?
If, through no fault of your own, you do not receive the item(s) you paid for, I will cheerfully refund you your full cost, including shipping. However, this excludes cases of theft -- where the postal service has properly delivered, but the item was stolen at the destination address.

EXCEPTION: With some countries with which I have consistently had lost-mail issues, I will NOT be able to refund you for lost mail. Eg Italy.

Because postal or customs delays can happen randomly, I cannot consider an item "lost in the mail" until after 30 business days from the date of shipment. For international addresses, "lost in the mail" applies only after 60 business days from the date of shipment. IN ANY CASE, IF YOU THINK YOUR PACKAGE WAS LOST IN THE MAIL, PLEASE INFORM ME WITHIN 90 DAYS OF THE SHIPPING DATE. LOST-ITEM CLAIMS MADE BEYOND THIS 90-DAY PERIOD WILL NOT BE ENTERTAINED.

Please note, however, no refunds can be issued if the order was lost because you provided an incorrect address. If you were not in at the time of the attempted delivery & your postal service left you a note as to where to claim the package, it is your responsibility to pick up the package on time. Refunds will not be issued if you were sent a postal notice & did not pick up your item on time.

SPECIAL NOTE ABOUT "RETURN TO SENDER" PACKAGES:
If your order is returned to me by the postal system due to any reason not within my control (you gave an incorrect address, or the postal service in your country had difficulty delivering to you), I will inform you that the package was returned to me. Sometimes Canada Post charges a fee for returning a package; if this is the case, I will inform you about the cost as well.

I will then ask you if you still want the item(s) you ordered. If yes, I will mail it to you again (to the correct address, which you must supply), after you have paid the appropriate shipping charge &, if applicable, the fee that the post office charged me to reclaim your order.

If you would rather not have the item sent to you again, I will refund you for the item cost, but not the shipping fee. If I was charged a fee for the return of the package, the fee will be deducted from the amount to be refunded to you.

The above also applies in the event that a package is returned even if it carried the correct address. Sometimes, postal services return packages for unclear reasons, and in such instances, I can refund the cost of the item, but not the mailing cost, which has already been spent.

IS MY ORDER MAILED WITH TRACKING?

Within Canada - usually YES. To the USA & internationally usually NO

If you want to ensure that there is tracking, please inquire before finalizing your order.

CIRCUMSTANCES BEYOND MY CONTROL

Please note that I do everything I can to ensure the safe & prompt delivery of your order. There are some circumstances completely beyond my control, however, for which I cannot accept responsibility. These circumstances include, but are not limited to, the following:

1) the package would not fit in your mailbox & the postman took it back to the post office or some location unknown to mortal man.

2) the address in your Etsy account is wrong.

3) (if you live in an apartment or condo) your building manager or concierge does not properly inform you that a package has arrived.

4) you were not present when delivery was attempted, & you were left a postal notice telling you when & where to pick up the package, but you did not pick it up in the time allotted.

5) your dog ate the package, or somebody stole it.

CUSTOMS AND DUTIES

Customers are responsible for any taxes or duties that may be charged on their end.

If applicable, you may collect in person: I am located in the center of Baddeck: 508 Chebucto Street, Baddeck, NS. B0E 1B0. Tel:902-295-9013

HOLIDAY SHIPPING

During the Christmas season (late November and whole of December) & other busy seasons, I will do my best to send your order within 1 business day of receiving it. Sometimes, an additional day may be required depending on the number of orders. IF YOU ARE IN A HURRY OR WANT TO USE AN EXPEDITED SERVICE, PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHEN ORDERING.

As usual, The Antiques Boutique will refund you in full if your order is lost in the mail, subject to my general mailing and refund policies. However, The Antiques Boutique will NOT be held responsible for delayed deliveries (e.g., items not delivered in time for Christmas), as the performance of the postal system & courier companies is beyond my control. No refunds will be issued for delayed deliveries.

For Christmas & other holiday periods, I will consider an item lost in the mail if the order is not received within 2 months of shipment.